Tire-tread.



D. T. OSULLIVAN.

TIRE TREAD.

APPLICATION FILED 5221212, 1908.

954,333, Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

A TTOBNEfYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENIES T. O'SULLIVAN, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

,TIRE-TEEADL Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Application filed Eieptember 12, 1908. sem no. 452,694.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dams T. OSUIiLIVAN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident.

- out producing a puckering of the material at v the sides of the' tread.

A further object of theinvention is to provide improved means for securin the tread to the s okes of the wheel, whic will revent si e slipping and longitudinal sipping of the tread on the tire.

The invention consists in the coiistruction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 ,is a side, elevation showing a short portiofi of the rim of a wheel and illustrating the manner in which the tread is constructed and attached to the wheel; Fig.

2 is substantially a bottom plan of the parts shown in Fig. 1 and further illustrating the construction; Fig. 3 is a cross section taken throu h the rim of a wheel, through the tire, an throp h the tread; and Fig. 4 is a perspective 1] ustrating the details of the construction-of the'tread at the point where it is attached to the spokes.

. Referring more articularly to the parts, 1 represents the fo 1 of the wheel, the same being provided. wit

' carries the pneumatic tire 3, as shown; gThe tread 4 comprises a sheath 5 of leather or similar material, which is preferably formed in a continuous piece or band encircling the tire and "wheel.

pprtion of the sheath is cut so as to rmjdeep V shaped notches 6 disposed radially. In this way integral a-"metal rim 2 which' The sheath forms a com-. plete covering for the outer part of the tire, and the inner iawa flags 7 are formed on the sheath of the tread, an these fiaps correspond to the spokes 8, there being referably the same number of flaps as spo es. Each flap is provided at its outer end with a notch 9 which is adapted to engage the sides of the spokes, as 1n dicated at the right in Fig. 2. By reason of the presence of these notches 9, projecting cars 10 are formed on each side of each spoke, and these cars are provided with eyelets 11 toreceive a thong, stra or flexible band 12. The manner 0 app ing this strap is illustrated very clearly 1n l igs. 2 and 4.

Referring to Fig. 4, a loop 13 is formed through the-pair of eyes on the forward or rear side of the spoke, and after formin this loop, the body of the strap is disposed -in half loops 14 which pass around opposite sides of the s okes as indicated. The end of the strap t en passes through the other pair of eyes which are adjacent to the spoke, and these ends of the strap are then connected by means of a buckle 15 with which each stra is provided. When this strap is tightened up 1t will be evident that it will draw the cars 10 closely together in such a way as to tighten the sheath on the tire, and at the same time it draws the notches 9 close up against the sides of, the spokes. By attachin the straps inathis way a. large or main' oop T16is formed, around each-spoke, A,

and this loop hassmall extension loops 17 which connect the cars 10. From this arrangement it will be evident that if there is an tendency of the sheath toslip longitudi na 11y on the tire in either direction, it will ten to tighten the small loop connecting the cars from which-the s oke tends to move.

Furthermore, the fact t at the notches 9 receive the spokes, tends to prevent the tread from shifting either sidewlse or lengthwise.

The outer, face of the sheath is provided with"a facing strip or tread proper 18. This strip covers only a short portion of the outer side of the sheath and extends continuously around the tire, with the sheath; it is 'pro-' vided at intervals with studs '19 whicharei adapted to grip theuground in a:well known manner so as to prevent ski ding. The presence of the Y-shaped notches 6 enables the sheath to fit very closely to the tire and wheel. Ifthe'se notches are not present'the sheath tends to pucker at its inner portion on account of the fact that the dia'meterat this point is less than at the outer portion of the sheath. The notches are arranged so that their edges rest against the sides of the spokes and this arrangement has a tendency to revent the sheath from Working longitudinally along the tire.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

A tire having a sheath encircling the tire and substantially covering the outer portion thereof, said sheath having oppositely placed eyes before the spokes of the wheels,

and oppositely placed eyes behind the spokes of the Wheels, and a flexible band formin loops connecting said pairs of eyes an forming a loop around the spokes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DENIS T. OSULLIVAN.

Witnesses:

E. D. JUNIOR, (1. V. BOSTWIGK. 

